Misery Loves Its Company
by Slythindor Complex
Summary: Hermione receives a letter at the beginning of her 7th year at Hogwarts.. what happens when she goes in search of its mysterious author?
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

**Misery Loves Its Company** – A Harry Potter fanfic

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all of it's contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N**: Okay, so this is my first shot at writing what will hopefully turn out to be a decent fanfic. A friend and I are each going to write a chapter of it. We don't know the plot yet; all we know is the pairing is Draco & Hermione. Anyways, now I'm rambling.. Enjoy !

Oh by the way, this is disregarding Dumbledore's death and the fleeing of Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. So I guess it's AU because they're all still back at school. it's not in correspondence to the sixth book. Ok, let's get on with this now!

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**Chapter 1: The Letter**

"Oi! Watch where you're going, you filthy little mudblood!"

Draco Malfoy's voice was definitely recognizable, even with the loud tooting of the Hogwarts Express. Trying to fit her trunk into the overhead compartment, Hermione Granger had stumbled backwards and bumped into him.

Oddly out of character, Hermione only spared Draco a short glance before walking into the compartment to sit next to Luna Lovegood, a dreamy Ravenclaw. Surprised that Hermione hadn't even bothered to come up with a snappy retort, Draco Malfoy opened the compartment door and said,

"What's wrong with you, Granger? Finally learned your place when in the presence of those of us worthy of learning magic?"

Before she even had a chance to respond, Harry and Ron had already drawn their wands and had them pointed towards Draco. He scoffed,

"Do you really think I'm afraid of you two?" Looking at Hermione, he added, "Might want to keep an eye on Pothead and Weasel. Wouldn't want anything happening to them, now would we?" and with his trademark smirk on his face, he strode from the small area.

"'Mione, what _is _wrong with you …? You've seemed pretty out of it since we were leaving the burrow this morning." Asked Harry

Hearing no response, he snapped his fingers in front of Hermione's face, which had been staring out the window watching the trees rush by.

"Oh, sorry Harry. What did you say ?", asked Hermione

"Are you okay? What's gotten into you?"

"Oh … nothing. Just tired, I guess." responded Hermione, before resuming her gazing.

**Flashback to earlier that morning -------------------------------------**

Hermione walked into the room she was sharing with Ginny at the burrow with a skip in her step, eager to finally be leaving for the start of a new term. When she sat down on her bed, she heard a tapping on the window. Looking up, she saw a majestic eagle owl that she didn't recognize, hitting its' beak to the window impatiently.

She opened the window and the owl flew in and landed on her nightstand, holding out its leg where a letter was attached. She reached over to untie the letter. Instead of staying, the owl took off out through the window, showing that the mysterious owner wasn't expecting a reply.

Already packed, she figured she could spare a couple of minutes reading the unexpected letter. In elegant script, it read,

_H. Granger,_

_You must be surprised to be reading this, and I don't blame you. All I can say is, you shall have to deal with your surprise, as I don't plan on telling you who I am. I've been keeping a close eye on you lately, and I don't think you're being as precautious as you should be. Obviously, it is up to you to listen to me. But I warn you that you should heed my advice. We live in dangerous times. _

_p.s. don't try to seek me out or figure out who I am, they would only turn into dead-ends._

The note was unsigned and left Hermione with a feeling of uneasiness settling into her stomach. Before she had a chance to gather her thoughts, she heard Mrs. Weasley's voice ringing out through the house,

"Ron! Ginny! Harry! Hermione! Come down! We're leaving for the train!"

Hermione tucked the note into her robes, and said, "_wingardium leviosa", _levitating her trunk in front of her as she made her way down the uneven steps of the Weasley home.

**End flashback. Back to the present -------------------------------------**

Thoughts of the mysterious letter were running through Hermione's mind:

_What had the author been referring to when he said that I wasn't being cautious, as I should be? Surely he couldn't be referring to my trip down Knockturn Alley… I made sure no one followed me. Not even Ron and Harry know I had gone there. That has got to stay a secret. If anyone ever found out what I was doing there, Merlin knows what would happen…_

Her thoughts continued as Harry kept shooting her worried glances. Ron, being Ron, was too busy eating a chocolate frog to notice the tension in the compartment. However, he wasn't alone, as Luna was also engrossed in a copy of her father's magazine, _The Quibbler_.

Hermione had a feeling this year wouldn't be smooth sailing. Then again, none of her previous years had been… The only thing looking up was that she was named Head Girl, so she got her own dorm. She vaguely wondered who the Head Boy would be this year…

And so began her seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry…


	2. Chapter 2: Head Boy

**Misery Loves Its Company - **A Harry Potter Fanfic

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of it's contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.**

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**Chapter 2: Head Boy**

As she stared outside the window, her thoughts kept drifting back to the note.

It was so bizarre, unexpected and quite frankly, freaky. Who would bother writing something like that? The more she thought about it, the more puzzled she became.

She unconsciously furrowed her eyebrows and glanced up to notice a Harry looking at her with eyes full of questions, an oblivious Ron and a busy Luna. Trying not to worry Harry, she gave him a reassuring smile, while she rolled her eyes at Ron. It was utterly useless pondering on something so mysterious that probably had no meaning, furthermore she knew she should be happy, it was her last year, and she _was_ Head Girl.

Hermione thought it was better if she analyzed and deciphered the note later in the privacy of her own chambers, away from the anxious expressions of Harry. She was going to have her own room, now that was a very appealing thought.

Once again she thought about the upcoming year. Ron, Harry and Hermione had never had a normal Hogwarts experience, and she had a dreadful feeling that this year wasn't going to be any easier. Dark magic, evil forces and "He-who-shall-not-be-named" were lurking around closer than ever. Harry had tried getting her to use the name Voldemort more often, but it hadn't quite stuck yet. _Happy thoughts, _she thought_, happy thoughts_.

Soon enough, Ron, as oblivious as he was, would notice something was slightly off, and Luna although always distracted and very particular would sense it too. With some effort, she began distracting herself by thinking of Hogwarts, her second home.

Hogwarts, with its ample library, vast forest grounds, and magical aura was comforting. She was now perfectly familiar with the school, and greatly enjoyed its unique traditions. Of course with the recent events, this year would be significantly different and incredibly frightening, but it was simply inevitable. _Why did the future have to be so bloody depressing?_ Perhaps if she focused on harmless things, she would be happier. _I'm Head Girl!!!Own room, no sharing, left alone in privacy! FINALLY! _She couldn't help but to smile at the advantages and privileges she would enjoy because of this position.

But who was going to be Head Boy? After all, she would have to spend a significant amount of time with him. Maybe it would be Harry, or perhaps Ron; however neither of them seemed life valid candidates. Often, Head Boys were chosen by leadership skills and their grades... she couldn't think of anyone with those characteristics.. Harry would be qualified leadership-wise, but his grades somewhat weren't quite up to par.

After some more thinking, she realized that the only other boy who had grades almost as perfect as hers, was Draco Malfoy. Him, with his humungous ego, snob comments, spoiled and intimidating persona, was by far one of her least favourite people; and along with the additional power he'd get from being Head Boy, having to share a common room with the Head Boy didn't seem so appealing anymore_._

Suddenly, the door to their compartment opened, and standing tall was none other than Draco Malfoy himself. _Speak of the Devil…._

As she finally realized that he'd be the most eligible choice as Head Boy, her facial expression contorted into a frown with dawning horror.

Seeing her reaction, he merely smirked and said, "Ah, so it took you long enough to figure out who you'd be sharing a common room with, then ? And they told me you were supposed to be the brightest witch of our age. No matter, i always knew you weren't too smart.. Must be all that hanging out with Weasel and his secondhand books. But relax, this year should be interesting." and with a wink, he left the same way he had come, flanked by his two goonies.

Soon after, they arrived and the train started slowing to a dragging speed. Getting her trunk down wouldn't be any easier than it was to get it up there in the first place. Ron and Harry had their own to lug around, anyways. She tugged it down, and it fell with a thud onto the floor of the train.

She thought, _This is going to be a long year ... _


	3. Chapter 3: An Awkward Encounter

**Misery Loves Its Company** – A Harry Potter fanfic

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all of it's contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N: **Alright so we've set the base for the story… Personally, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, as the story could change when the other author adds something. But I hope we're keeping our readers somewhat interested. On to the story…

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**Chapter 3: An Awkward Encounter**

When Hermione entered the Great Hall, she saw how they had enchanted the ceiling to look like a starry night sky. _Not bad_, she thought.

During the meal, even though she tried to ignore the weird feeling in her stomach that she'd had since opening that note, she couldn't help but think back to it and what it said.

She couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching her as she sipped her pumpkin juice; little did she know that a pair of pale grey eyes were observing her every move.

When the feast was over, and Professor Dumbledore had made his welcoming speech, Hermione said goodnight to Ron and Harry, and made her way to her new dormitory.

She reached the suit of armour that marked the entry to the Heads' dorm, and lifted the visor, granting her entry. Upon entering, her mouth popped open in awe as she took in her new surroundings. The room was nothing extravagant, but the cosiness and warmth that radiated it was hypnotizing.

Plush couches were placed around a small table, while another area of the common room was home to a fine polished wooden worktable, accompanied with 4 chairs placed on each side.

Soon after, Draco arrived at the dormitory and pushed her aside so he could get to his room.

"Not used to proper living quarters, Granger? Actually, don't answer that, we both know that the answer is no anyways"

Without waiting for a response, Draco moved off to enter his own room; which was decorated in silver and forest green. Hermione's room was similarly furnished, but the colour theme being bright maroon and gold.

Hermione sighed as she dropped her messenger bag onto the floor next to her bed. She closed her door behind her, and stripped off her jumper along with the rest of her clothes, before wrapping herself in a warm towel. Everyone always assumed Hermione was the studious, know-it-all, bossy girl she always had been. But what they failed to realize, is that while Hermione pretty much is all of those things, she also has her wild side.

The towel she wrapped around herself was short. Long enough to cover what needed to be kept hidden, but short enough that her lower thighs were for the world to see.

She untied her hair and let it hang loosely down her back. It had finally tamed down a bit; going from the bushy mass around her face, to loose, wavy curls. If one really took the time to look at Hermione when she was alone in her room, they'd realize how beautiful she was.

She padded out of her room barefoot, hoping that Draco Malfoy wasn't in the common room. To her relief, he wasn't there. She crossed the room to get to the bathroom, and after closing the door, slipped into the shower. She hung her towel on the rack, and turned on the faucet, letting the hot water run down her body.

After taking a 20-minute shower and having washed her hair, she stepped out of the bathroom, about to cross the common room. She didn't realize that Draco had entered the common room until she was halfway across it and he had cleared his throat.

She turned around slowly and faced him. One of his eyebrows was raised in a questioning look. A faint blush spread across her cheeks, but she played it off as a result of the heat, and not because she was staring at a 17 year-old boy with tousled blonde hair laying on a couch, wrapped around the waist in a towel.

"Oh. I didn't realize you would be out here…"

"How long does it take for you to shower, Granger? I've been waiting out here for the past 10 minutes. I don't have all night to wait for the likes of you to free the bathroom." And with that, he strode to the bathroom and shut the door.

Hermione shook her head, and walked back to her room, completely unaware of the thoughts that were now invading Draco Malfoy's mind.

_For a mudblood, I've got to admit she has one of the nicest bodies I've ever seen… Who knew what hid behind all those layers she's always wearing. She looked like one of those girls in that Muggle programme I had been forced to watch at one unfortunate point in my life… Lakewatch, or something like that. Who knew the mudblood could be hot? And mmm it smells good in here... kind of like vanilla… WOAH. What am I thinking? She's a MUDBLOOD. Whether or not she has a nice body, she's off limits. Father would have my head if he knew what I was thinking… Fraternizing with her kind… _

_I do wonder what she was doing heading down Knockturn Alley though… it's not the kind of place a 17-year old girl should be frequenting, especially alone. Oh well, as long as she doesn't ever find out that I was the one who wrote her that letter… but I do intend on finding out what she was doing down there… hmm… maybe sharing a common room with her this year won't be _too_ bad, after all…_

And so continued his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Hermione was having similar thoughts.

_Since when does Draco Malfoy look like _that_? Last time I checked, his face definitely wasn't that defined… with a strong jaw… and nice eyes… OH MERLIN. What am I thinking? This is _Draco Malfoy _I'm talking about… the school Death Eater… But why was he looking at me so strangely when I got out of the shower though? He had a different look in his eyes, one that didn't contain utter hatred, for once. He's so mysterious... besides being insanely cocky, I don't really know who he is… Maybe sharing a common room with him won't be _too_ bad, after all. _

_Speaking of mysteries, who sent me that letter?! What kind of a person sends a letter telling someone to watch out and be careful, but then doesn't sign it? Don't they at least want to be thanked for their vigilance…? Why bother anyways? I can take care of myself… That item I had to pick up from Borgin & Burkes will remain a secret for as long as I can help it._

_

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**A/N: ooo so now we know who sent the letter!! What do you guys think will happen if and when Hermione figures it out? Any guesses? Hehehe…. **** && we can also sense that DM & HG might have some other feelings growing within them about one another… even though it's probably only physical thoughts for now… ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: Balconies & Lake Views

**Misery Loves Its Company** – A Harry Potter fanfic

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all of it's contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

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**Chapter 4: Balconies & Lake Views**

Having made up her mind, Hermione stormed off towards her chambers with an air of dignity and renewed force. Unfortunately, she stumbled while making her way through her room, due to the direction her thoughts had taken_._

_Draco Malfoy, his tousled white-blond hair, confident manner and strong voice, with a fab body, makes him kind of hard to ignore, ewww, no! no! no!, it's Draco Malfoy, for heaven's sake, Draco Malfoy! Wrapped in a towel, with his strong lean muscled arms. Oh Goodness No! Evil, tricky, deceitful, rude and hurtful comments! Stupid teenage hormones!...._

…_._that's the only way she could describe her feelings. Once again she thought

_This is going to be a long year! _

However, this time, her thoughts didn't revolve on the anonymous lettre but rather her new attraction to one of her enemies. She had to remember that, he WAS one of her enemies.

As Hermione opened her room she decided to take a closer look, this was going to be her room for the next few months after all. The room was spacious, yet managed to look cosy. It also adorned the Gryffindor colour theme, which she was immensely proud of. Her queen size bed had fresh new linen sheets, silky covers and a fair amount of fluffy pillows. Her desk sat in a corner, with a lamp, a scented candle, a few pieces of parchment, a pot of blue ink and a rather fancy quill. However, she hadn't seen a cupboard. _Funny..._She thought, until she noticed a knob that protruded from the wall. Timidly she crossed the room and fiddled with this knob, clearly it had to be gently turned, which she did, and like a Walt Disney movie, the walls began to smoothly move apart to reveal a lavish walk-in closet with Hermione's clothes, shoes, trunk, and intimate garments. Hermione stood there, simply amazed and completely surprised.

_Now THATS what i call a walk-in closet, it's unbelievable! Unbelievably awesome!!! ...but still unbelievable._

Hermione had already dreaded the unpacking, and organising her closet, but someone had done it for her, while adding a few additions to her wardrobe: three silver pins, embedded with gold and rubies, with the caption Head Girl; two elegant silk bathrobes (which changed colour depending on the wishes of its owner), a few Head Girl uniforms (non-mandatory),and a maroon and gold jumper with the initials H.G sewn at the bottom.

Not only was she marvelled by her new discovery, but whoever had done this did had done a fantastic job. Hermione quickly got dressed in her bear-patterned pyjamas, slipped on her bunny slippers, and stepped out of the closet. A bean bag and a typical muggle armchair were placed at the edge of the northern wall. The left side of the room was covered by a glass wall that served both as a giant window and a door leading to a magnificent balcony overlooking the Hogwarts Lake. Curious, she slid the doors apart, and stepped outside. The icy air, refreshing as it was, overwhelmed her; so she quickly went back inside.

Suddenly overcome by the day's events, Hermione found herself exhausted, so she slid into her new bed and went to sleep. Although her body was exhausted, her mind was fully alert: reviewing the note, the Draco encounter, her new room, the expectations for the upcoming year, Harry, Ron, Ginny.....etc.... Her active mind was keeping her vigil and she hated every moment of it. Annoyed, she tussled, turned and fought for some sleep, to no avail. At 2:47 A.M she was still wide awake and irritated more than ever. Hermione decided that perhaps if she did something relaxing, she would be able to fall asleep. _The balcony overlooking the lake!_ She thought, that would be very soothing. Thus, she put on her newly acquired jumper, and stepped outside. Although it was gelid, she leaned against the railing and enjoyed the majestic view. She breathed heavily and her thoughts immediately became calmer. However, they were interrupted by a familiar, yet unpleasant voice:

''What you doing up so late Granger, its past curfew, perfect little girls like yourself never break the rules? ...Ahhh, i bet you're setting camp outside the balcony where you feel more comfortable in the poor environment, since your room was probably too luxurious for your standards..am I right, or am I Right?" he snickered at his own joke while looking over her pjs. As Head Boy, Draco Malfoy also enjoyed the advatanges of a balcony, and unfortunately for Hermione, it was adjacent to hers.

With as much dignity as one can manage while wearing bunny slippers and bear pjs, Hermione answered '' Drop it Malfoy, I don't have the time nor the will to deal with your tricky little childish games, and unnecessary comments. At least not tonight.'' She said with clear annoyance.

"Finally, a comeback, I was beginning to think you turned all soft because of my incredible good looks and character. After all I am irresistible, even to petty muggle girls as yourself. By the way, I simply adore your nightclothes... I believe my 3year old niece has the same, or was it my new born puppy..." commented Malfoy while arching an eyebrow.

" Honestly Malfoy, Drop. It. A wizard like yourself should have better things to do than pester a muggle girl at 3A.M. May I ask, why do you bother with me if you deem yourself so superior? Do us both a favour, and stop, it would save tons of time....": her voice thick with sarcasm and authority.

Waiting for a snappy comeback she glanced at Draco for the second time that night. He was wearing dark jeans and a black sweater. Against the night, his grey eyes were even more mesmerising. Suddenly, Draco Malfoy did the unexpected. He leaped over his balcony onto hers, approached her with his overconfident manner and whispered

" Well Granger, that would be no fun, now would it? You're reactions do prove to be incredibly amusing" With that he left through _her_ sliding doors, to exit through _her_ room. Only after he disappeared from her sight, did Hermione let out a deep breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding....

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**A/N: **Hey guys :) I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as we're enjoying writing it ! Sorry if it seems kind of slow and tedious, when it comes to getting to the plot, but we're trying to build up a small semblance of what will later become some sort of a relationship, if we can even call it that. Anyways, hopefully we'll get to the interesting parts soon ! Thanks for sticking with us :) Reviews are much appreciated, as is constructive criticism. We don't really know how long this fanfic is going to be quite yet, but we'll let you know eventually...

Thanks to : Keke Koorime && Via Sly for being our first two official reviewers !!

Until next chapter...


	5. Chapter 5: Dragons & Dragonus

**Misery Loves Its Company** – A Harry Potter fanfic

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter and all of its contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N: First things first, we decided to change the name of the story. We just liked this one better. The story's still the same though!!! **

Okay, so we're getting into the story a bit now. I'm not going to ramble like I usually do. Getting on with the important part…!

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**Chapter 5: Dragons & Dragonus**

Hermione shook her head to clear her thoughts, and walked back into her own room, where Draco's cologne had left a faint scent. Combined with the smell of her own lemon vanilla perfume, it created an aroma that slightly aroused her.

Instead of having settled her thoughts by going onto the balcony, she'd only succeeded in getting more to think about.

_Why is Draco acting so strangely…? _

That was the main thought on her mind as she finally drifted into a fitful slumber.

Hermione, being the ever-organized young woman she was, woke up to the sound of her alarm ringing at quarter to six. She rubbed her eyes and got out of her bed. She wrapped one of her bathrobes around her, and it changed colour to a pale blue… probably signifying her sleepiness.

She padded out of her room and into the bathroom to take a shower. When she got out, she was thankful that this time, Draco Malfoy was not there to meet her.

Hermione got dressed and gathered her belongings into her messenger bag. She walked out into the common room, locking her door with a set of charms that would only admit her entry, unless she became or was good friends with the person that tried to enter, where it would then admit their passage into her room.

When she turned around, she saw him. Draco Malfoy was exiting his room; appearing already showered and dressed.

Without sparing her more than a glance, he nodded in her direction and curtly said, "Granger." before heading out of the dormitory door.

The first day of term proved to live up to her high expectations. As this was to be her seventh and final year at Hogwarts, it'd also be the year she'd be completing her N.E.W.T.'s.

Lessons passed by in a blur, and before she knew it, Hermione was walking into her common room. After sitting around for a bit, she decided she'd better put her time to good use and set off for the library, but before that, she wanted to stop by the Gryffindor dormitory.

After speaking the password, _Scarlet_, so the Fat Lady would let her gain access, she climbed through the portrait hole. Hermione found Harry and Ron engaged in an intense match of Wizard's Chess. Although Harry seemed to be really trying, he was no match for Ron; who had remained the undefeated champion in Gryffindor since he got to Hogwarts.

She settled down in one of the couches facing the fire, reading over her days' notes while waiting for her friends to finish their game. Soon after, the boys came to sit next to her.

After about a half hour of talking, Harry said, "Sorry to cut our conversation short 'Mione, but Quidditch starts tomorrow and I want to be well-rested."

Ron's ears perked up at the mention of Quidditch, and agreed with Harry, saying that he, too, should probably get some sleep. Hermione bade them goodnight before leaving for the library.

As she was walking down the dimly lit corridors, she ran her hand over the ancient and worn walls of the castle. She came across a strange-feeling stone, and whispered "_Lumos" _before holding her wand up to the stone for a better look. Upon it was a strange marking of a Dragon with its' tail wrapped around itself.

As she was about to lay her palm against the stone, a figure appeared behind her and cupped their hand over her open mouth.

"Don't. Scream."

Recognizing Draco's voice, Hermione slowly turned around.

He removed his hand from her mouth. "What are you doing creeping up behind me?! I almost had a heart attack." Hissed Hermione

"I wouldn't have had to, as you say, 'creep up behind you' if you weren't being so bloody curious. What are you doing wandering the corridors past curfew anyway? Do you think you're invisible? That Ms. Norris and Mr. Filch just wont _see_ you if they come across you? … And they told me you were smart. You keep proving them wrong, but me right. But by all means, continue. It's not like i'm complaining." he said with a sneer.

"Malfoy, if you've come here just to patronize my actions, then save your breath. I honestly don't care to hear your voice."

"Granger, don't go looking for trouble. Get back to your own dormitory and leave this place alone."

"This place? All I see is a stone with a dragon on it … That means that there's something hiding behind there! Like a secret room or something of the sort!" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Draco and said, "Why are you so defensive all of a sudden? It's not like you would usually care if you found me wandering the corridors alone. What's behind that stone, Draco?"

"I'm not being defensive, _Hermione_. Just warning you, is all. Leave well enough alone. I don't know what's wrong with you Gryffindor's and your knacks for meddling. Just stay out of it. What I do is none of your business. Now move."

"MOVE? Who do you think you are? Do you really believe for one second that I'm actually going to just walk away and let you enter a secret room alone? How do I know you're not just going to admit Death Eaters into the school… it's not like you haven't done it before. I happen to recall a certain incident involving a _vanishing cabinet_…" She let her voice trail off, feeling smug about the taken-aback look that had appeared on Draco's face.

What she didn't expect however was the cold glint that suddenly appeared in his eyes, an attempt at his trying to mask the silent, but still apparent, anger that had overtaken him at hearing her words.

"_Granger._ If you know what's good for you, you'll walk away right now and forget what you saw. Then again... I could always _make_ you forget."

And with that, he stormed off in the direction of the Heads' dormitory. And with all thoughts of going to the library gone from her mind, Hermione followed his lead.

Her thoughts were now encumbered with trying to figure out what lay behind the stone with the dragon marking.

She entered the common room and found that Draco was closing his door, as she heard the intricate locks slide and turn into place. Clearly, he was a lot angrier than he let on.

She settled onto one of the couches and tried to think. All of a sudden, the cosiness of the common room seemed to frustrate her. She decided to give her balcony another go, but stopped in her room first to change into more comfortable clothes. She put on light flannel plants, and a tank top, which she covered with a black jumper.

She silently opened the door to her balcony and went to lean over the railing, breathing in the scent of the crisp fresh air. She heard a faint sound, and turned to see Draco Malfoy's face glaring at her.

Suddenly, she felt guilty for making the comment about the vanishing cabinet. She wanted to apologize and said, "Listen, Malfoy-" but was interrupted when he began, "Save it Granger. I have no need for your useless apologies. Everyone thinks I'm a Death Eater anyways, so why shouldn't you?"

He walked off and entered his _own_ room this time, closing the door softly behind him.

Hermione's thoughts got even more complicated as she wondered at the tone Draco had used with her. She had detected bitterness in his voice, which seemed to be mixed with a small sense of sadness. She wondered why Malfoy seemed so different this year and what had happened to him to result in this change.

The guilt eating at her, she decided to try to apologize to him anyways. She walked over to his door and knocked. After about a minute of no response, she finally heard him moving across his room.

He opened the door and she began saying, "Look, I'm sorry. You have to admit that you've done some nasty things to me and my friends, so pardon me for not being so _welcoming._ I really am sorry about making that comment though. I didn't realize it'd affect you as much as it seems to have."

All Draco did in return was stare at her. Finally he said, "I don't need an apology from a _mudblood. _Besides, who said I cared what you think, anyway? Just stay away from me, and do yourself a favour and save your apologies for someone who cares." He made to shut the door, but she stuck her foot in the gap before he got a chance to close it completely.

"Draco. I'm not asking to be your friend. But I just apologized to you. To you it may mean nothing, but I'm not going to be the one staying up all night with a burdened mind."

"Oh, do you want a cookie or something? Little Granger completed her good deed of the day. _So. What?"_

Hermione was fed up with his impossible attitude, and turned around to leave but he grabbed her arm before she got a chance. He turned her around to face him, and she noticed that his facial expression had become softer. His eyes roamed down over her body. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold air on the balcony and her hair was windblown. Draco leaned down and, before she realized what he was doing, pressed his lips gently against hers. Her first reaction had been to pull back, but he tightened his arm around her waist, and she felt herself moulding into his embrace and slowly beginning to kiss him back.

He pulled back after a few minutes and said softly, "Hermione. Just go to bed. Don't make this any more complicated than it already is." Before moving back into his room and shutting the door quietly. This time though, he didn't lock it.

Hermione stood stunned for a second before she began making her way back to her own room. After closing her door, she leaned back against it and took a deep breath. Being who she was, she started trying to figure out why in the world Draco Malfoy had just kissed her; before saying a cryptic message and closing his door. She walked over to her closet and turned the knob in the wall.

After it opened, she reached between her robes to reveal a small hidden compartment. She reached for the item she had had to retrieve in Borgin & Burkes. In the compartment lay a thin braided silver chain, with a gold and silver pendant hanging from it. The pendant was of a crystal dragon, one that looked exactly like the dragon she had seen on the stone in the corridor, before Draco caught her.

Her thoughts drifted back to the stone.

_Why did Malfoy seem so keen to keep whatever's behind that stone a secret? And more importantly, why are the two dragons identical? Does that mean he knows what's going on? Only someone with involved in the Dragonus could be in possession of knowledge about the symbol…_

Absentmindedly running a finger softly over her lips, where Draco's had been a few moments before, she thought, "_Oh Draco, it's __already_ **way**_ past 'complicated'"_

_

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**A/N: Okay, so that was probably a lot to take in! I tried making this chapter longer. It was about 2,230 words so I'm pretty proud of it.! In this chapter, we finally get somewhere in the whole Dramione aspect, romance-wise anyways. So, now we know what she was getting down . Any guesses as to why Draco knows of the symbol? hehe until next chapter! **_**Maybe **_**you guys will find out!**


	6. Chapter 6: An Angel in the Darkness

**Misery Loves Its Company - **A Harry Potter Fanfic

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter and all of its contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N: **This chapter is going to be relatively shorter than the other ones... but it's here, regardless.

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**Chapter 6: An Angel in the Darkness**

Hermione attempted to go to sleep, but how could she stop thinking about Malfoy. In these two days she had had more encounters with him than in her 6 years at Hogwarts. Her mind roamed through these encounters, desperately trying to piece them together and find some logical explanation.

Soon she realized, anything that involved Draco was far from logical. He had seemed concerned, but past experiences had proven Hermione that Draco was an incredibly talented actor and often worked solemnly for his own agenda. Could the kiss have been all part of another one of his schemes, something to distract her from her mission?

_No..It felt so real, and the way his eyes softened….it couldn't have_, BUT _after all he was still Malfoy, and he was known to be deceitful and manipulative. _

Once again she found herself fighting for some sleep, and like the previous night, she was unable to drift off to the place many hoped to escape to at night. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the two identical dragons. They had to be linked. Perhaps the pendant was a key into the secret chamber, or a passageway. She simply had to find out. She had a task to perform and she would perform it to the best of her capabilities, as always.

As quietly as she could, Hermione put on a jumper and slid out of her dorm and out into the corridor. Silently, she crept towards the mysterious reptile stone. Hermione never realized how cold and intimidating the corridors of Hogwarts could be. She shook off these feelings, and focused on the task at hand. She couldn't afford to mess up, or get caught. She was aware of every noise, particularly the softer ones.

Upon reaching the location, the hallways seemed to get quieter and darker. Hermione whispered "_Lumos_". She pushed the stone, attempted to twist it, applied pressure to various points... but nothing seemed to be working. She then changed tactics. While feeling and observing the different crevices of the mysterious stone, she noticed that the tip of the tail seemed out of place. It didn't seem to completely correspond to the pendant.

Intrigued, she pulled out the pendant and absently ran her fingers of the snake tail of the stone. The tail seemed slightly loose, so she rearranged it to mimic the pendant. Suddenly, the walls moved apart, revealing one of the many hidden passageways of the ancient castle. Pleased by her discovery, Hermione began her uncertain and, potentially dangerous journey accompanied by the soft glow of her wand: a comforting presence in this darkness.

The stone floor echoed as her shoes made contact, regardless how precautious Hermione was. Remembering a spell, she solved the problem. Hermione was also annoyed by the scarcity of light, the unexpected joining corridors, the narrowness of the corridor and the fact that she was absolutely and irrevocably alone..

Anyone could easily detect her from afar, but she could only see about a metre ahead. Thus, she could easily be surprised. Furthermore, no one knew where she was, not even Harry or Ron. The more she advanced, the greater her insecurity became. Perhaps she had been wrong... perhaps this passageway led to nothing. She also had lost track of time, which could potentially blow her cover. She needed to find a way into the elusive secret society that called themselves the Dragonus. She couldn't afford to back out or be discovered now; not when she had finally made some headway by getting the passageway open.

Suddenly, she heard a noise: footsteps, at least 3 different ones. The voices however, were muffled; instinctively she cringed toward the wall and began to search for an escape. As the footsteps grew louder, she became more desperate. Her hands began to search urgently for some kind of passageway or miraculous exit, only to find none. With absolute horror, Hermione realized she had no way out, except to turn back the way she had come; but that was where the voices were coming from. She extinguished the light on her wand and prepared herself for a fight. But just as a faint light began to appear in the distance, an unexpected force pulled her from the darkness into a corridor she had failed to see.

Draco Malfoys furious voice whispered: ''GRANGER, what the bloody hell are you doing here!?! Argh, nevermind, be quite and don't move! I'll deal with you later!". Exasperated, he ran a hand through his already messy hair. Although his grip was firm, it was somehow gentle, and she knew she was safe. At least for now.

In a twisted way, Draco Malfoy was her guardian angel.

_For tonight, anyways..._

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**A/N: **Alright, so there's Chapter VI. Let us know what you thought :)


	7. Chapter 7: Questions Left Unanswered

**Misery Loves Its Company **– A Harry Potter Fanfic

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter & all of its contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

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**Chapter 7: Questions Left Unanswered**

After the voices had passed, Hermione's body visibly relaxed. Draco's, however, was still tense as they quietly made their way back to the entrance of the passageway.

Although she wanted to ask him how he had known where she was, Draco's apparent withdrawal into himself blocked off any opportunity for conversation.

She followed quietly behind him as they walked through the corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. When they arrived in their dormitory, he headed immediately to his room, without even sparing her a glance.

She entered her own room, and with a frustrated sigh, fell back unto her made bed. Hermione reflected on what had just transpired.

_What the hell just happened there? One second, I'm desperately searching in vain for an exit, and the next, out of nowhere, _Draco Malfoy _is rescuing me… Argh, since when does being Head Girl have all these extra situations…?_

She then got off her bed, and after changing into her pyjamas, decided she would go out to the balcony. She opened the door and stood in the crisp fresh air for a brief second, before making her way to the railing. As soon as Draco Malfoy noticed her presence however, he stormed back to his own room and shut the door.

Hermione shook her head.

_He's become so moody lately. Not that I expected any different… but I don't even know how to place him anymore… he seems to have grown up. Well, grown up meaning he's not the immature snivelling little git he proudly paraded around last year. _

Draco entered his room.

_WHAT is wrong with that girl? I know she's a Gryffindor, but why must she always go looking for trouble. She was only lucky that I had been in the passageway as well. The Dragonus members are becoming more restless as time passes. They want _action.

Hermione went back into her room, and after many fruitless attempts to fall asleep, she finally entered into a fitful slumber.

The next morning, Hermione left her room and was on her way to breakfast when she ran into Harry and Ron.

"Geez Hermione! It feels like we haven't seen you in days and all of a sudden you're trying to run us down?" joked Ron

"Oh come on. We saw each other like last night or two nights ago. I hardly think that counts as _days_." said Hermione with a smile

They continued on their way to the Great Hall and sat down on the long bench at the Gryffindor table. Classes seemed to drag on as Hermione was impatient to finally confront Draco. He had been ignoring her all day; pretending that he hadn't just basically saved her life and let on that he knew about the Dragonus, all in one night.

When she reached the Heads' common room that night, however, she saw no sign that Malfoy had even returned yet. She decided to wait it out and curled up to read a good book on the maroon couch by the steadily burning fire.

Next thing she knew, she was getting shaken awake. Peering out the window, she saw that it was still dark out, and began wondering when and for how long she had been asleep. Looking up to identify the person who had disrupted her slumber, she saw no one.

Hermione got up and went into her own room. After changing into warmer clothes, she grabbed her jumper, slipped on her shoes, and after rummaging through her closet, produced Harry's invisibility cloak. She had forgotten she even had it until that moment.

After slipping it on and over herself, she quietly made her way out of the dormitory and outside the large castle. Hermione walked to the lake, where even the Giant Squid seemed to be asleep. She sat down at the foot of the sagging tree; one of her favourite places to go when she needed to clear her mind.

_Finally… a nice place to figure things out… But I don't even know where to start… _

Before she could even arrange her thoughts, she felt a weight land on her head.

"Ow!"

Stumbling backwards, Draco Malfoy said, "Who's there? Show yourselves!"

Hermione took off the invisibility cloak, and her sparkling eyes squinted up at him through the darkness.

"Granger?" Draco said incredulously "What are you doing here at 3 in the morning?"

Shrugging, she said, "I don't know… probably the same thing you're doing. Couldn't sleep."

"People who can't sleep take dreamless draughts. They don't come to sit invisibly by a lake."

"Uh—"

"Wait, speaking of invisibility. _How _were you invisible? I know that wasn't a simple disillusionment charm."

Not wanting to ruin the first, and what could possibly be the last, civil conversation Draco Malfoy was willing to have with her, she simply replied "An invisibility cloak."

Draco Malfoy's eyes widened slightly before his mask of indifference fell back into place. "And I don't suppose you're going to elaborate on that?"

"Mm… no… not tonight."

By this time, Draco had unconsciously sat down next to her.

He ran a hand through his fine hair. Hermione asked, "Why do you do that? I mean, last year you had your hair slicked back at every waking moment. And you show up this year with tousled hair. Don't get me wrong, it suits you, but I'm just curious…" She let her voice trail off.

Draco gave her a quizzical look sideways before responding.

"Hm… I guess I got tired of it… you can't even begin to guess how long it takes to get my hair looking the way it did for the past few years."

Hermione nodded, and they fell into a comfortable silence; each left with their own thoughts. She felt the air getting colder, day-by-day, and knew winter was on its way. She sighed, and saw the small puff of white smoke that came from her mouth, move off into the night sky.

Draco glanced over at her profile, and saw how the soft breeze was blowing her wavy hair back from her face. Her skin glowed in the moonlight while her dark lashes framed her round chocolate eyes, and he found himself unable to look away.

Hermione shook her head and looked at him. Her eyes met his pale grey ones, seeing in them intense-looking emotions that she hadn't ever come across when dealing with the Slytherin king. For a fleeting moment, it seemed as he might kiss her again. He slowly leaned in, but seemingly having remembered himself, cleared his throat and looked away.

Hermione turned her head back to face the lake, and shrugged off what just might've happened if she had leaned her head forward. Still, she couldn't help the small blush that began creeping up her cheeks.

Just as she had finally gotten the resolve to ask him what he knew of the Dragonus, Draco stood up and brushed himself off. Extending a hand, he said "It's getting chilly out here. I'm going back inside. Care to join me?"

Figuring she could wait another night to get the answers she wanted, she took his hand. Surprised at the firmness yet delicateness of his hand, her blush intensified.

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy had a similar thought.

_Wow… she has such soft hands. Not soft where she's been pampered all her life though._ _You can tell she's a worker… funny how they fit perfectly in my hand though…_

He released her hand after she stood.

Picking up the invisibility cloak, Hermione said, "Draco. How is it that you even got down here? I didn't even hear you coming."

"Oh, we're on a first name basis now? Well, _Hermione, _I used to live in the school dungeons for the past 6 years. And I, being who I am, needed to be able to get to different areas undetected. I guess it's out of habit. Well, habit, and I _am _a Malfoy. Some traits just come with the name." and with a smirk, he started walking towards the school.

Hermione followed, and he slowed his pace to allow her to catch up to him. They walked in comfortable silence. At one point, their arms brushed against each other, and though neither dared to admit, each of them felt a tingle of electricity pass through their arms.

Hermione:

_Whoa… that was odd… _, and she continued her walk to the school with a small smile on her face.

Draco:

_Oh… that was unexpected, though I wont say unpleasant. _And with that, he too continued his walk to the school. Although his face betrayed no signs that their touch had affected him, inside, his mind was swimming.

When they arrived in their common room, neither made a move to retire to their own room. Hermione decided to pick up where she had left off with her book on the couch facing the fire. Not long after, Draco joined her on the opposite end of the couch. It was as if an unspoken truce had been reached between the two of them.

Hermione soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep, with her head drooping awkwardly on her shoulder. Draco got up and closed her book, before cradling her in his strong arms.

He carried her into her room and set her on her bed. After slipping off her shoes, he pulled the thick duvet over her small body.

Leaning down to kiss her softly on her forehead, he whispered in perfect French,

"_Fait de beau rêves. Quand tout sa sera fini, tu comprendras tout."_

And with those parting words, he swept out of her room and closed the door. He crossed the common room and entered his own room. Without bothering to undress, he lay on his bed and fell into the first peaceful slumber he'd encountered in a long while.

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**A/N: **Ok just to clarify, they're not dating… he's just… well you'll see. Reviews, as always, are welcome. Chapter VIII will be up soon enough .

Translation of DM's french bit: "Sweet dreams. When all of this will be over, you'll understand everything."


	8. Chapter 8: One Less Lonely Girl

**Misery Loves Its Company **– A Harry Potter Fanfic

**Disclaimer: **Harry Potter & all of its contents are the sole property of J.K. Rowling.

**A/N: **

**-The long-awaited [or not so long-awaited lol] update… I've barely had time to write anything. But hopefully this will satisfy you guys for a bit! **

**Chapter 8: One Less Lonely Girl**

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Hermione awoke the next morning feeling more refreshed than she had in a really long time.

_Ah… finally a restful sleep. … I wonder where Draco is. UGH! I did it again… why do I keep calling him Draco? A week ago I still hated his guts and now he's one of the first things I think about in the morning? Arghh…_

She got up and felt the slight chill in the air as she pulled off her blanket. She realized she was still in her clothes and began thinking back to the night before. Remembering what had happened, save the part about Draco tucking her in, Hermione smiled. Throwing a towel over her shoulder, she grabbed her toiletry bag and opened her door to go to the bathroom. When she got halfway across the room, she realized that she had forgotten her shampoo.

Getting to the bathroom, she _accio'd_ her shampoo & conditioner. Hermione could tell Draco had already been in there… the smell of his aftershave lingered in the air. She stepped into the shower and let the hot water run down her body, fogging up all of the mirrors in the big bathroom. When she was done, she stepped out of the bathroom and crossed their mini common room to get to her own room. Dressing in her usual school uniform, she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, making her way out of the room and into the corridor to get to class. Stepping into Advanced Arithmancy, she felt good to be back in her element.

She felt a penetrating gaze focused on the back of her head. Regardless, she didn't need to turn around to know whom it was coming from. _Why… Draco Malfoy apparently needs to find himself a new hobby…_ she was avoiding him now. It seemed like last night, the line that had divided them seemed to have gotten a bit blurry. She no longer knew where they stood, but she did know they weren't enemies… not anymore.

Straining her neck while trying not to look too conspicuous, Hermione let her gaze drift to the back of the class. Right behind her and to the very back, sat the object of her thoughts. Draco Malfoy didn't meet her eye but when she turned back, a neatly folded square was sitting on her table.

_-See anything you like?_

Apparently they were close enough to be making jokes now? She wrote back,

_-Hmm… nothing of interest. I must say that Hogwarts lacks good-looking guys._

She folded the note and it disappeared from her table.

With a smirk, Draco read it and sent back,

_-Same for girls. But you guys are easy enough anyway. And hey, you can't say I'm not good-looking. You're supposed to be the smart one. Anyway, can I borrow the invisibility cloak tonight?_

She should've known he wanted something.

_-Umm… what for? & It's not really mine.. Harry wouldn't be too pleased if he found out I had let you use it._

_-Do you do everything the Boy Wonder tells you to? I just need it for something. Maybe I'll tell you later. But c'mon.. ._

_-I thought the "Slytherin Prince" could hide himself anywhere in school?_

_-I can. But I never said I'd be on the grounds._

_-You're leaving the grounds?_

_-That's beside the point. Are you going to lend it to me or not?_

-…_. I really don't think I should… but ok. On one condition, you __**have**__ to tell me what you were doing when you get back._

_-... Fine. I'll get it from you later tonight._

And so stopped their correspondence for the rest of the lesson.

The rest of Hermione's classes flew by quickly as she was very curious as to what Draco would be up to that night. Going to the Great Hall for supper, she ran into Ginny.

"'Mione! Jeez it's like you're a ghost these days! I never see you anymore."

"Oh Gin, I'm so sorry… I've just had a lot of schoolwork ... by the time I get to my room, I'm exhausted."

"Understandable… but still. Take a load off would you? It's Friday night. You have to come to our room tonight. If only just for an hour."

"Ok ok, I promise I'll come. I'll be there at 7."

Dinner was a haze as Hermione spent the whole time zoned out. As the students started filing out at the end, Harry caught up to her and said, "Hey 'Mione… everything alright? You seem kind of out of it … again…"

"Oh, yeah everything's fine. Just got loads of work y'know."

"Don't overstress yourself. It's just school and you're getting top marks anyway. Take a break or something!" And he started laughing in his usual easy-going manner

"Ha-ha you're not the first to tell me that. But yeah, I'm coming up to your common room in a bit. Ginny kind of forced me." And with that, they exchanged goodbyes and each went on their way.

With no time to spare, Hermione ran up and took a quick shower before she headed back down to Gryffindor Tower. After a few hellos to those she didn't talk to very often, Hermione joined her friends and settled down into one of the armchairs in the corner of the room near the fireplace. It felt nice to be surrounded by her friends again.

"Ron. really? You had loads of pumpkin pie at dinner. How do you even fit it all in?"

"Hermione, you have to understand. It's quite simple really. _I'm. Still. Hungry. _See? It's not that hard of a concept. And here I was thinking you were the smarter one in our lot." With a playful shove in her direction, Ron tuned into Harry & Ginny's conversation. Those two seemed to always be in their own world.

"Harry. Harry. HARRY!"

"WHAT?"

"Oh NOW you pay attention. Anyways, what are you guys talking about?"

"We were just planning a friendly Quidditch match between us and Ravenclaw this weekend. I won't bother asking you if you want to play, because I know _you_ do. And I won't even bother asking 'Mione either, because I know _she_ doesn't. See? Nothing you needed to worry about."

"Hmph… fine. But I want to be beater this time. Thinking of trying out some new posts you know.. keeping up my skills."

"Sure Ron. Whatever you want." And with a smile and a shrug of his shoulders, Harry turned back to Ginny to continue their conversation, only to find her already engaged into a deep discussion with Hermione. Not wanting to interrupt, he started levitating random items on the table. His gaze wandered to the strong fire burning in the fireplace… memories of the previous year started playing through his mind. Finding out about the Horcruxes… going on a hunt for them… it was all a matter of time before things had to be resolved_. Once and for all_. And when the time came, he'd be damned if he wasn't ready to give it all he's got.

Meanwhile, Ginny had finally gotten through to Hermione. It seemed like that was what she'd been waiting for all along: someone to probe long enough for her to finally just give in, because as soon as Hermione started talking, everything else just started spilling out. From the first awkward night in her dorm, up to the past few nights. But Hermione didn't tell her about the moments when her and Draco had seemed really close… she felt like it was personal and she wasn't ready to share it, even if it was to Ginny.

Thinking of last night, she remembered that she had told Draco she would meet him for the invisibility cloak. Excusing herself, she made her way back up to her room.

Upon entering her common room, she found an impatient-looking Malfoy sitting on the couch with one leg crossed over the other.

"Well look who finally decided to show up …"

"Sorry. I promised my friends I'd hang out with them for a bit. Besides, why are you in such a rush? You told me you'd tell me what you were up to."

"Hmm… friends. Never saw the need in them. All they do is create more problems. -Followers are better. No attachment and they don't expect anything. Anyways, about my plans, the deal was I'd tell you what I was up to _after _I've already done it. Your condition, not mine. I still have the note if you'd like to see it."

Remembering her mistake, Hermione just sighed and shook her head. She started walking towards her room when Draco said, "Well? Where's this invisibility cloak?"

"I'm getting it. Obviously, I don't carry it around with me. Even with a brain as small as yours, I'm surprised you hadn't figured that out."

"_Someone's _cranky."

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione looked through her closet to get the cloak. She came across the dragon necklace and immediately thought of the Dragonus. She still had to ask Draco what he knew about them, she couldn't let herself forget to do that. But again, she couldn't do it now. He was in a rush so it would have to wait... again.

"Hermione." a firm voice called out.

Startled out of her thoughts, Hermione quickly put back the necklace and took out the cloak. Closing her wardrobe, she left her room and went back into the common room. She handed Draco the liquid-like material and watched as he folded it carefully and put it into a dark bag that was sitting at his feet.

He nodded and stood up to leave the room. He had almost made it to the door before he stopped himself and turned around. He stared at Hermione for a full minute before muttering the word,

"Thanks."

During that minute, so many emotions flickered through his eyes that Hermione couldn't even figure out what they were. However, he quickly got control of himself again and the mask fell back into place. She smiled faintly and nodded as he turned back around and walked out of the room. Figuring out who Draco Malfoy was seemed like it was going to take time… but the more she thought about it, the more convinced Hermione became that it would be worth it.

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**A/N: **

**It's finally up .! **

**I tried to do more views from the other friends, like Harry … just because we hadn't seen much of them so far. **

**Anyways, lemme know what you think. R&R =]**

**-SC.**


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